York Castle Museum
A folk museum in a former 18th-century prison, with a reconstructed Victorian street where you can browse old shops, plus the historic prison cells.
York Castle Museum sits beside Clifford's Tower and was converted from a former debtors' prison and women's prison. The most popular attraction is the faithfully recreated Victorian street, Kirkgate, complete with a chemist, a sweet shop, and horse-drawn carriages. Other displays cover 1960s street life, clothing, and toys, along with the cell where highwayman Dick Turpin was once held. Admission is about £17. Allow around 2 hours, and combine it with Clifford's Tower and Fairfax House in the castle area.
Opening hours
10:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Clifford's Tower
- Fairfax House
- Merchant Adventurers' Hall
- York City Walls
- Jorvik Viking Centre
- York Dungeon
- The Shambles
- Shambles Market